This invention relates to a method and apparatus for aseptically sowing small seeds or spores, and particularly for sowing small seeds and small spores of green plants, for example, the seeds of orchids and cactus, and the spores of ferns. For convenience, the term "seeds" is hereinafter used to refer to both such seeds and spores. While the following description is directed generally to orchids, it is to be understood that this is by way of example and that the described method and apparatus will work equally as well with other small seeds or spores.
The growing of orchids from seeds, wherein an organic medium replaces a mycorhizal fungus, is a situation which requires an aseptic seed planting technique. Various time-consuming methods have been developed for aseptic planting of such seeds. These methods are commonly used by scientists and orchidologists. Illustrative methods are detailed in Lucke, "Sowing of Orchid Seed Made Easy", American Orchid Society Bulletin 44 (2): 109-118; and Simpson, "Raising Orchids from Seed", The Orchid Review 84 (984): 203-206. These methods are generally laborious and time-consuming. They require prepared culture flasks to be opened to sow the seed, and this raises the possibility of contamination by airborne spores, etc. Various tools have been developed to aid in such aseptic sowing. Such tools are described in, for example, Arditti, "A Flasking Tool for Orchid Seeds", American Orchid Society Bulletin 37: 425-426; Arditti, "Two Tools for Flasking Orchid Seeds", The Orchid Review 83 (890): 47-50; and Harrison, "A Simple Method for Flasking Orchid Seeds", American Orchid Society Bulletin 39: 715-716. While these are helpful, there is need to further reduce labor and time and the danger of contamination.